Rich Campaign Act

Article I – Finance

Section 1. Executive Board candidates may spend up to and including fifty dollars ($50),
as they deem necessary for the conduct of their campaigns. This figure shall include the
New York State sales tax, where applicable;
A. These funds shall be provided, on account, to candidates by the Association.

Section 2. Executive Board candidates shall not be limited in the amount of personal
funds that they wish to spend on their campaigns.

Section 3. In the event of a runoff election, candidates who received the most votes in
the primary for each office shall be provided twenty five dollars ($25) by the Association,
on account. This figure shall include the New York State sales tax, where applicable.

Section 4. No candidate or associate may purchase alcohol for consumption at any

campaign event with SGA funds.

Section 4. All candidates’ finances delegated by SGA shall be recorded by the Election
Committee, and the Election Committee alone;
A. The Election Committee shall notify the candidates when they have five
dollars ($5) or less left in the campaign funds provided by the Association.

Article II – Responsibility

Section 1. Candidates shall submit to the Election Committee, or designee:

A. One (1) letter of recommendation;
B. A letter of intent showing their interest in the position.

Section 2. Candidates shall submit in writing to the Election Committee, through the
SGA office only, a roster containing the names, local addresses, and local phone numbers
of any and all campaign staff members no later than the close of business on the third
class day following either the acceptance of their petitions or nomination by Assembly;
A. A staff member:
a. Shall be considered an individual who provides material or
consultative services to a candidate.
b. Actively aids a candidate in his or her campaign.
B. Candidates shall update this list as necessary. If a new staff member is added
to a candidate's campaign, the candidate must notify the Election Committee
about the addition within two (2) business days. Failure to do so may result in
disqualification of the candidate.
Section 3. A copy of all campaign materials shall be kept on record by the Elections
Committee for the duration of the election.

Section 4. Any candidate or staff member who knowingly or purposefully causes

physical damage to, or the removal of, another candidate's campaign material
will be disqualified.

Section 5. Candidates shall be held accountable for the conduct of their staff if that
conduct relates in a significant manner to the campaign. The Election
Committee shall determine whether the conduct relates in a significant manner
to the campaign, as well as the course of action that needs to be taken, if any
exists. The candidate may appeal the Election Committee's decision as
outlined in Article Eight, Section two of this document.

Article III – Facilities Usage

Section 1. Candidates and their staff shall be allowed access to all Association-owned
facilities, equipment, and media outlets in a fair and equitable manner;

A. Candidates or members of their staff who make inordinate or improper use of

any Association-owned facility, equipment, or media outlets may be
disqualified by the Election Committee. The candidate may appeal the
Election Committee's decision as outlined in Article Eight, Section two of this
document.

Article IV – Debates

Section 1. There shall be two (2) debates prior to the general election. The debates shall
serve the function of informing the students about the candidates and their stances on
issues;
A. Candidates shall be required to attend at least one (1) of the debates;
1. Failure of a candidate to attend at least one (1) debate will result in
disqualification;
a. This shall apply to all candidates, including those running
unopposed.
b. The candidate may appeal the Election Committee's decision
as outlined in Article Eight, Section Two of this document.
B. The time and the place of the debates shall be decided by the Election
Committee;
C. The e Election c Committee reserves the right to hold a debate in the
primaries;
D. The Election Committee shall be responsible for selecting a moderator for
each debate.
 Article V – Polling Guidelines

Section 1. All voting shall be by secret ballot.

Section 2. All votes for candidates whom do not adhere to election guidelines shall be
considered void.

Section 3. All SUNY Potsdam SGA fee paying students during the semester in which the
election is held, shall be eligible to vote.

Section 4. Ballots shall be prepared subject to the following conditions:

A. Candidates shall be listed in alphabetical order, according to the position
sought;
B. All candidates' names are to appear in the same font face, size, and color.

Section 5. No student may vote without recording his/her name, and verifying the name
against a current college roster.

Section 6. Candidates have the option to submit to the Election Committee a statement
about their campaigns to be available, upon request, at the polling place on election days.
Signs will be posted letting voters know that the information is available at the polling
place. The statement should, but does not have to, include the candidate's experience and
stance on various issues. Under no circumstance will an attack on the opponent(s) be
allowed in this statement.

A. Statements must be submitted to the Election Committee by the close of

business, Five (5) business days before elections are held.
B. The Election Committee or appointed representative shall return any
objectionable statement to the candidate within two (2) days of receiving
them.
C. The candidate will then have one (1) day to re-submit an edited statement.

Section 7. If there is a campus wide referendum on the ballot, a short statement

explaining the issue must be present at all polling places. The Election Committee shall
prepare this statement. The statement must then be approved by the Assembly.

Section 8. No new campaigning described in the Association Constitution (Article VI,

Section 4) shall be permitted at a polling place after 12:00am on the day of the election.
All materials and campaigning posted before this time shall be acceptable. An area shall
be considered a polling place as of 12:00 a.m. on the day of elections.

A. For election purposes, the College Union shall be considered the whole of the
building, extending to the entrance of the student mailroom and the entrance
of Thatcher Hall. The main entrance of the Union shall be considered to
begin at the curb of Barrington Drive nearest the Union.
 B. In the event that elections are held electronically then all areas of campus
shall be considered a polling place.

Section 9. Informational distribution through word of mouth shall not be considered

campaigning so long as the distribution does not state that the person(s) receiving the
information are encouraged to vote for the candidate. (i.e. stating that there is an election
today.)

Section 10. The Election Committee shall be responsible for the removal of public
printed campaign material from all polling areas. Printed campaign material includes
campaign posters and school newspapers.

Article VI – Nominating Petitions

Section 1. The Chair of Elections Committee shall be the sole receiver and arbiter of all
nominating petitions for Assembly candidates.

Section 2. The Election Committee shall be the sole receiver and arbiter of all
nominating petitions for Executive Board and special election candidates.

Section 3. Each valid entry on a nominating petition shall include a printed name,
signature, phone number and local address. Defaced, altered, or illegible entries, or parts
thereof, shall be declared void.

Article VII – Candidate Instructions

The Elections Committee shall, at such time as a candidate either submits a nominating
petition or is nominated by the Assembly or Senate, provide the said candidate with a
copy of Article VII of the Association constitution and this bill, as well as a written list of
all election related dates, times, and deadlines as specified by the constitution or statute.
The preparation of the above named list shall be the responsibility of the Chair of the
Election Committee.
Article VIII – Appeals

Section 1. If any aspect of the election has been appealed by a candidate, further election
proceedings shall be halted until the matter is properly resolved. The Election Committee
shall be responsible for rescheduling the rest of the campaign.

Section 2. Candidates may appeal the decision of the Elections Committee to the Student
Supreme Court.